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ENDURANCE HANDICAP TODAYS BOWIE HEADLINER Xalapa Clown Facing Difficult Task Under 126 Pounds in Mud Melting Snow Certain to Leave Track Watersoaked and Likely to Freeze Son of Eternal Stands Out Among Overnight Eligibles BOWIE, Md., Nov. 25. Xalapa Clown, winner of the Ardsley Handicap, at Empire City in his Metropolitan final, and a Kentuckian which has been unbeaten in his only three public appearances, tops a group of eight two-year-olds named overnight for the mile and seventy yards Endurance Handicap, week-end feature at Prince Georges Park. The Ebony son of Eternal and Loma Linda will not have as easy a task as anticipated at first, for he must pack 126 pounds over a heavy and holding track, one which promises to be the toughest of the meeting. For the melting snow must leave it watersoaked and a freeze tonight would make it even worse. However, despite his trying impost and the extremely difficult footing, the lad from Xalapa Farm is certain to attract the bulk of the publics support and, not improbably, he will rule an odds-on chance. His record is much brighter than that of any other hopeful, and only the fact that he must give away chunks of weight promises to make his job a trying one. The sun shone brightly on the Bowie grounds this afternoon, and there is no expectation of a further snowfall over the week-end. This means ideal weather for the half-holiday sport, one which promises to be dominated by mud-runners. It will be the first race of Xalapa Clown through such going, and one which should afford a better line on his Kentucky Derby chances. If he cant beat tomorrows opposition through the. mud, then he hardly can be given serious consideration in the event similar footing prevails for the Blue Grass classic. MAIDEN TOP MAN. Mrs. Bessie Franzheim, owner of Xalapa Clown, also will have another home-bred in the race, this being the maiden Top Man, a son of Blue Larkspur Loved One. He has been seen under colors only twice, finishing a steady-going third to Selmalad in a six furlongs sprint last Saturday. This youngster appears in nicely with 106 as his portion, but hes a Blue Larkspur, and the get of that stallion never have gained any fame as mudders. Johns Heir, a colt with an excellent second to Selmalad in last Saturdays six furlongs, ran well through the mud at Belmont Park earlier in the fall. The Son of John Guerande youngster also performs like one which will favor the distance and, with a twenty-one pound weight advantage, he should give Xalapa Clown an argument at some stage of the journey. His form over this track indicates he is the one to defeat. FrVE FILLIES ENTERED. t Numerically, the fillies hold the strongest hand in the Endurance, as five of that sex have been entered, against three males. Best of the quintet appears to be Selby Burchs Paper Plate, a daughter of Sun Briar High-dine, by High Time. Shes never run in the Continued on twenty-second page. ENDURANCE HANDICAP TODAYS BOWIE HEADLINER Continued from first page. mud, but on both sides of her family shes bred for such going. This miss has been a three-time winner in five starts, every one of them an easy triumph. In her latest outing she tired after being in the pace, in the Selima Stakes at Laurel. She has been freshened since that appearance, and Dest form would make her a factor. Shes not weighted badly under 110 pounds. Jiick Campbell rated Blazing Heat best of the fillies, for he assigned that daughter of Big Blaze and the Man o War mare Assembly, 112 pounds. Shes been a two-time winner over off tracks, but in her last at Pim-lico she was beaten by the plater Rock Maker. On that showing she is not so much. GREY NURSE A PROBLEM. Grey Nurse was a top-flight filly during the Spa season, but she took a good lacing in her one sprint outing at Bowie and does not appear to be right at herself. Morstep also disappointed over this track, being a beaten favorite behind Selmalad and appearing to dislike the footing. As for Loveday, this daughter of Petee-Wrack won her first two starts in New England and then did not show so well in the pair that followed, one at Pimlico and the other at Bowie. If any of the lassies lead the colts past the judges it probably will be Paper Plate. Tomorrows renewal of the Endurance will be the seventeenth, the filly Oui Oui coming over from Pimlico after accounting for the Walden to annex the inaugural running in 1922. There she scored at the direct expense of Vigil, destined to win the Preakness the following spring for Walter Salmon. She was the first of four members of her sex to register in the stake, Tree Top, Snowflake and Bettys Buddy being the others. Incidentally, Snowflake took down the richest purse in the History of the event when she gathered 6,550 in 1929.
